How Long Is an Oscar Acceptance Speech?

Oscar displays are seen during the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)

We’re all familiar with that awkward moment– an actor makes their way to the stage to accept the Academy Award. They’re excited, overwhelmed, and begin to thank a long list of people when all of a sudden the music starts and they are ushered off the stage.

This scenario begs the question: how long do actors have to accept their awards at the Oscars? Is there a time limit? In fact, there is.

Oscar speeches are restricted to 45 seconds. Once the time limit has been reached, play-off music begins.

This restriction hasn’t always been in place, though. Oscar speeches were reduced to 45 seconds in 2010. In 1943, Best Actress winner Greer Garson spoke for more than five minutes.

A particularly memorable speech came in 2003 when Adrien Brody won the award for Best Actor for his work in The Pianist. While speaking, Brody acknowledged the fact that the teleprompter was flashing “TIME’S UP!” and went as far as asking producers to turn the exit music off so he could finish.